Rail grinder



C. A. MILLER RAIL GRINDER Oct. 22, 1 935,

Filed Aug. 22, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet '1 &

Oct. 22, 1935. c. A. MILLER 2,018,411

I RAIL GRINDER Filed Aug 22, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l k v I 1 I Oct. 22, 1935. Q A MlLLER 2,618,411

RAIL GRINDER Filed Aug. 22, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 22, 1935, c. A. MILLER 2,018,411

RAIL GRINDER Filed Aug. 22, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 l I l I I l oooooooo 00000000010 Cfikr/as Alli/er C. A. MILLER RAIL GRINDER Oct. 22, 1935;

Filed Aug. 22, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 C. A. MILLER Oct. 22, 1935.

RAIL GRINDER Filed Aug 22, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Elma/whom Cid/ 074. lW// 03 W 1 PM Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED if;

r Pics 13 Claims.

The invention relates to railway grinding apparatus and has as an object the provision of a device for grinding the rails of a track in situ.

It is an object of the invention to provide means mounted upon a specially constructed railway vehicle adapted to grind the rails of a track to a plain surface when the vehicle is moved along the track.

The need for the invention arises from the fact that rails become corrugated transversely of the tread in service causing rough riding of the vehicle traveling thereon. The cause of such corrugations is open to dispute but it is found that new rails are not provided with a true surface as they come from the rolling mill and it is proposed to smooth down new rails immediately when placed in service as it is believed that the presence of incipient irregularities in a new track may be a cause of initiation of corrugations. In an old track the corrugations in bad cases may be as much 'as'three-sixteenths of an inch in height and are usually of the order of two to three inches from crest to crest.

The usual rail grinding devices grind only a small portion of the rail at each rotation of the device and do not result in a long extended true line such as to give thedesirable riding qualities. The device of the invention acts in the nature of a carpenters jointer traveling along the rail continuously and being equipped with grinding elements of considerable length. When the vehicle is drawn along the rails, a true surface results.

It is at present the practice of the invention to draw the vehicle continuously over a number of miles of track and return, repeating the process as often as is necessary to produce the desired results.

,It is a further object of the invention to provide means for controlling the grinding elements so that they may be raised from the track when aproaching switch frogs or crossings which may have portions projecting above the common level of the rails at each side thereof, which portions would involve danger of breaking the grinding elements.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a plurality of groups of grinding elements certain of which are placed between the wheels of special trucks upon which the vehicle of the invention is mounted and others of which are placed between the trucks with means to individually control the groups between the wheels in common and other means to control the group or groups between the trucks. The latter provision is for the reason that in rounding curves the elements or group thereof between the trucks would not be over the rail whereas the elements or groups thereof between the wheels of the trucks'will be over the rails there- 5 of upon curves.

It is a further object of the invention to pro vide means for supplying water to the grinding elements with means to automatically control the supply of water associated with the means for controlling the pressure of the elements upon the rails.

It is a further object of the invention to pro vide a process for grinding of the rails, it having been discovered that the speed at which the ve- 15 hicle-is moved along the rails has a profound effect upon the action of the grinding elements.

Further objects of the invention will appear when read in connection with the accompanying drawings showing an illustrative embodiment of :6-

the invention, and wherein:-

Figure l is a side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the system of control pipes and valves;

Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of a central 25 Fig. 8 is a detail vertical section of a water control valve;

Fig. 9 is a detail plan view of a special truck of the vehicle;

Fig. 10 is a detail side elevation of the truck;

Fig. 11 is a detail vertical longitudinal section on line ll-H of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 12 is a detail transverse section on line 12-42 of Fig. 1.

As shown the device comprises a railway vehicle l5 comprising specially constructed trucks, as shown in the detailed views, upon which is mounted a frame carrying a water tank l6 provided for the purpose of giving weight to the vehicle and incidentally for supplying the water to the grinding elements. The vehicle is provided with a cab H in which the control mechanism is located and with tanks !8 for compressed air which may be supplied with air from the air brake system of the locomotive by which the vehicle is propelled.

Desirably the supply oi. air to the tanks I 8 from the air brake system is provided with a pressure reducing valve l9 and with a valve to control the rate of admission of air to the tanks from the air brake system. The latter elements are necessary in order that the air pressure in the brake system shall not be dangerously depleted by the supplying of air to the tanks 18 whereby the action of the brakes might be interfered with. I

The vehicle is also provided with a cat walk 2| on each side, upon which an attendant may ride to inspect and individually control the action of the grinding elements as will be described.

The grinding elements 22, 23, 24 each comprise a block or blocks 25 of grinding material as carborundum or the like. As shown three of these blocks are supplied for each grinding element, the blocks having at the time. of their manufacture bolts 26 anchored in their substance with projecting ends which are passed through the web :of a channel'member 21, as shown more clearly in Figure 6, and secured therein by nuts 28. To the-channel member 21, thereisz welded at the edges of the flanges a second channel 29 inverted relative to the channel 21-, the channel 29 being secured by means otbolts 30 to a yoke 31, which in turn has swiveled connection at 32 with a connecting rod 33 projecting into acompressed'air cylinder 34 andrcarrying a piston 35 acting in the cylinder.

Seating in a closure 36 for the cylinder; there is-a spring 31, shown in Figure 3, which acts in compression between the closure-36 andthe piston 3.5; When air is admitted to; the cylinder, the spring 31 will ice-compressed and the grinding blocks 25 will be. pressed against the rail. W-hen'the airis'cut off by means of a control valve which allows the aid to escape from the cylinder 34, the, spring will automatically lift thegrinding element from the rail.

' ing rod 33 may be adjusted. Desirably the stop The yoke 3| is shown as provided with lugs 38 projecting upon each side of the connection 32 and provided with stopscrews 39 whereby the angular relation'of the blocks 25 to the connectments between the wheels of each truck.

To supply water: to the. grinding blocks, there is shown a pipe 42 drawing from the tank l6 delivering toa pipe 43 for the grinding elements between the trucks and to a pipe 44- for the elements between the wheels of the trucks.- Water from; the said; pipes is delivered as through pipe 45 to fall into the channel" 21 from which it passesthrough openings 46 and trickles down about the grinding blocks 25. Also to wet the rail in advance ofthe leading end of the grinding elements inreitherdirection of travel, there are shown two shortwater supplypipes 41 to deliver directly to the rail. 1

To control the flow of water, a special valve, illustrated in'Figure 8, is provided shown as comprising avalve'member 48 carried by connecting rod 49- passing into an air cylinder 50 connected to a:piston5l acting in the cylinder, a spring 52 being provlded to automatically close the valve when the air is cut off-from the cylinder. 50. One valve suflices for control of the waterto the group of elements between the trucks and another valve for the groups between the wheels of each of the trucks as in accordance with the present invention the control of the group of elements between the wheels of the trucks is in 5 common and separate from the control of the group of elements between the trucks.

It will be understood that the entire system of elements and controls on the side of the vehicle illustrated may be duplicated upon the op- 10 posite side of the vehicle.

To control the described apparatus, there is located in the cab I! an air valve 53 for controlling the air to pipe 40 and a second air valve 54 for controlling air to pipe 4|. 1:!

Opening of .the valve 53 will cause each of the elements 22 in the group between the trucks to be placed into contact with the rail and will also turn on water to wet said elements, whereas closing of the valve 53 will result in the lifting of 20 elements 22 from the rail and shutting off the water. Actuation of the valve 54 will cause a like control ofithe groups of elements between thewheels in common. This division of control is for the purpose of enabling the drawing out 25 of action of the group of elements between the trucksv in rounding curves and leaving the groups between the wheels in action at that time.

To; support the ends of the outer blocks 25 to avoid fracturing the corners which would speedso ily result in the destruction of. the block, there is shown indetail in Figure '7, a guard member 55* comprising a yoke vertically sliding relative to a fixed block 56 and having ends 51 that may project to a point closely adjacent the surface 35:

of the rail and, lying close tothe vertical end surface of the outer block 25 of each grinding element. The guards 55 must be raised when approaching a frog or switch point and for-this purpose each guard is connected to a connecting )5,

rod '58 projecting into anair cylinder 59 and connectedrto a piston 60 therein; a spring 6| acting to raise the'guard when air is out ofi from the cylinder'5ll.

The cylinders 59 receive-air from the pipes 40 45 and, andthe action therefore is-controlled by the valves 53, 54 in common with the control of the grinding blocks and of the water.

The central group of elements, that is, the

group between the trucks, is shown as-secured to 50.;

a vertical'plate 62, the blocks 56 also being secured to this plate, which plate is mounted upon the frame of the vehicle, which frame is in turn supported upon springs 63 shown in Figures 10-12;.

Thersaid central group of elements will therefore partake in the vertical motion of the frame of the vehicle under the control of the springs. However, the groups of elements between the wheels are rigidly mounted upon special trucks 60-;

shown in Figures 9-12 inclusive which are designed to provide a spacing of the wheels greater than that: of ordinary trucks of railway vehicles for the purpose of receiving the said grinding elements. The special truck referred to comprises a frame 64 coacting with a central member 65 connected with the frame of the vehicle as by. means of a king pin 66.

To complete an enclosure for the grinding blocks 25 in which they may slide vertically, three sides of. which enclosures are provided byv plate 62 or 68 with theguards 55, plates 83 are shown as secured by cap, screws 84 to the fixed blocks 56, The plates 83 are desirably thickened atlthelr wi 'lower edges as shown to provide additional pro tection to the lower ends of the blocks.

Guides 61, Figures 9 and 12, are provided from a vertical plate 68 coacting with arcuate angle members 69 secured upon the bolster 10 of the vehicle frame. The plate 68 is formed with an opening H to clear the bolster l0 and a surface of the plate 68 is welded to a longitudinal member 12 passing over the boxes I3 for the wheel journals, the plate 68 having downturned extremities l4 projecting into recesses in the said boxes I3.

Upon the remaining side of the longitudinal member 12 is a plate 15 also having its ends downturned as at 16 and projecting into recesses in the said boxes 13. Between the lower edges of the plates 68 and 15 are pins 11,18 upon which the spring 63 is mounted in shackles, the member 65 being supported upon the center .of said 3 springs.

of the wheels and moreover these elements will be in registry with the rails at all times even upon curves.

To individually control the grinding elements,

' the air pipe to each cylinder 34 is provided with a valve which is of a type to exhaust air from the cylinder when pressure thereto is cut off. The action of guards 55 may be likewise controlled by individual valves 8|, and the water supply by individual valves 82. These individual controls are for the purpose of throwing out of action any element that fails in service and may be actuated by an inspecting attendant riding on cat walks 2 I.

It is found that if the vehicle of the invention is moved over the rails at a low rate of speed, the grinding elements merely rub the rails and do not produce a true grinding action whereas if the vehicle is moved at a rate of speed corresponding to a usual grinder wheel surface speed, or, in other words, at a rate in excess of thirty miles per hour and preferably at a rate of from forty to fifty miles per hour, excellent results are obtained.

The number of passes required depends upon the condition of the rail under treatment. In bad cases from four to six passes are found sufficient. The action of the device not only removes the corrugations of the rail referred to but also trues the ends of the rails and removes any irregularities resulting from the building up of the meeting ends of the rails by adding metal thereto by an electric welding process.

.Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the invention within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. Rail-grinding apparatus comprising, in combination: a railway vehicle; a plurality of groups of grinding elements mounted on said vehicle; means to individually press said elements against a rail of a track upon which the vehicle travels; and means common to the elements of a plurality of groups thereof to control the action of the pressure-causing means thereof.

2. Rail-grinding apparatus comprising, in combination: a railway vehicle; a plurality of groups of grinding elements mounted on said vehicle; means to individually press said elements against a rail of a track upon which the vehicle travels; means common to the elements of a plurality of groups thereof to control the action of the pressure-causing means thereof; and means common to the elements of another group thereof to control the action of the pressure-causing means of the latter.

3. Rail-grinding apparatus comprising, in combination: a railway vehicle; a plurality of groups of grinding elements mounted on said vehicle; means to individually press said elements against a rail of a track upon which the vehicle travels;

means common to the elements of a group thereof to control the action of the pressure-causing means thereof; and means individual to the respective elements of said group to control the action of said individual pressure-controlling means.

4. Rail-grinding apparatus comprising, in combination: a railway vehicle; a grinding member mounted on said vehicle to register with a track rail; compressed air means to cause said member to be pressed against the rail and'means acting automatically upon cessation of said pressure to raise said member from the rail.

5. Rail-grinding apparatus comprising, in combination: a railway vehicle; a grinding member mounted on said vehicle for grinding of a rail by movement of the vehicle therealong; means to supply water to said grinding member; compressed air means to cause said member to be pressed against the rail; compressed air means to control said water supply means; and common means to control both of said compressed air means.

6. Rail-grinding apparatus comprising, in combination: a railway vehicle; a grinding block mounted on said vehicle for vertical movement into and out of grinding contact with a rail; a guard member mounted on the vehicle independent of the mounting of said block, closely adjacent an end of said block to provide lateral support for the material of the block; and means to cause said block to be pressed against the rail at the will of an operator to grind the rail by movement of the vehicle the'realong.

7. Rail-grinding apparatus comprising, in combination: a railway vehicle; a grinding block mounted on said vehicle for vertical movement into and out of sliding contact with a rail; a guard member mounted for vertical movement closely adjacent an end of said block to provide lateral support for the material of the block; compressed air means to cause said block to be pressed against the rail; automatic means to raise said block upon cessation of air pressure; and automatically acting means to cause movements of the guard corresponding to movements of the block.

8. Rail grinding apparatus comprising, in combination: railway vehicle trucks having wheels spaced longitudinally of the vehicle; a vehicle body spring-supported on said trucks; a grinding member mounted on one of said trucks in the space between said wheels and out of the influence of said springs; a grinding member mounted on said body and partaking of the spring movements thereof; means to cause the respective grinding members to be pressed into grinding contact with a rail along which the vehicle moves and to be raised out of such contact; and individual control means for the respective pressure-causing means.

9. Rail-grinding apparatus comprising, in combination: a railway vehicle; a plate mounted vertically on said vehicle longitudinally thereof; an enclosure carried by said plate open at top and bottom; a grinding member vertically slidabe in said enclosure; and actuating means reacting against the weight of said vehicle to cause said it a member to slide in said enclosure and to be pressed into grinding contact with a rail upon 7 which the vehicle moves andto be raised out of such contact at the' willof an operator.

10. Rail-grinding apparatus comprising; in combination: a railway vehicle; a plate mounted vertically on said vehicle longitudinally thereof; an enclosure carried by said plate open at top and bottom} a grinding member vertically slidable in said enclosure; actuating means reacting against ment; a cylinder mounted on said vehicle above said block; a piston acting in said cylinder; a connecting rod secured to said piston and connected with said block; a spring acting between the lower end wall of said cylinder and said piston to urge said block to raised position; means to introduce air under pressure to said cylinder above said piston to cause said block to be pressed into grinding contact with a rail upon which said vehicle moves; and: means to control air pressure in said cylinder acting to vent air therefrom when pressure is out ofi whereby to cause said block to be automatically lifted from grinding contact.

12. Rail-grinding apparatus comprising,v in combination: a railway vehicle; a grindingblock mounted on said vehicle; a compressed air actuated. piston to cause said block to be pressed. into grinding contact with a rail upon which said vehicle moves: a pivotal connection between said piston and block; and means to adjust the angular relation of said pivotal connection constructed and arranged for slight lost motion tov allow for movements of the block on the rail in service.

13. Rail grindingapparatus comprisingdncombination: a railway vehicle including a bolster; a truck for said vehicle comprising spaced wheels and axles mounted in journal boxes; vertical plate members. connecting said journal boxes and enclosing said bolster for free movement relative to be pressed against the rails upon which the truck travels.

CHARLES A. MILLER 

